Planning a new feedlot in North Florida. Need Help

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I'm new to the board but since i have read everything here i feel like know you all.

I'm planning to build and run a feedlot located in north florida. However i dont know any slaugther house or packing facility in north Florida or Georgia. If any of you have information, i'll appreciate it a lot.

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Hope you have fed several head in your area over the past few years before you spend big $$$$. I was in a meeting this past week with an outfit that went thru $200,000 in Free grant money plus all the investors $ from 9 different investors before they went broke in less than 3 years. Feed conversion is better out west due to weather, they are set up with grain, my guys were running 2.6 adg vs. 3.3 out west. You are in a grain deficit area -they are not. They have feedlot mills larger than most of the feed compaines in our area and likely in your area as well. Packers are close - have you priced diesel lately??? Feedlot odors are an issue with more and more neighbors, support staff, vets, nutrition experts, etc are in place out there - you will have to pay on as needed basis which will be much higher. Lots to consider before you sink good money in a fair idea. Remember you can not "out WalMart" Walmart. So you must have some plan to give you an unfair advantage - the boys out west know their program and will beat you every time at their game.
 
victoryrancher":3n5zm5f6 said:
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I'm new to the board but since i have read everything here i feel like know you all.

I'm planning to build and run a feedlot located in north florida. However i dont know any slaugther house or packing facility in north Florida or Georgia. If any of you have information, i'll appreciate it a lot.

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I think there is a large packer in Mississippi or Ga that went broke - state now owns it and will probably sell for pennies on the $ due to default on bonds is what I heard.
 
Larry Sansom":ktca33zj said:
Hope you have fed several head in your area over the past few years before you spend big $$$$. I was in a meeting this past week with an outfit that went thru $200,000 in Free grant money plus all the investors $ from 9 different investors before they went broke in less than 3 years. Feed conversion is better out west due to weather, they are set up with grain, my guys were running 2.6 adg vs. 3.3 out west. You are in a grain deficit area -they are not. They have feedlot mills larger than most of the feed compaines in our area and likely in your area as well. Packers are close - have you priced diesel lately??? Feedlot odors are an issue with more and more neighbors, support staff, vets, nutrition experts, etc are in place out there - you will have to pay on as needed basis which will be much higher. Lots to consider before you sink good money in a fair idea. Remember you can not "out WalMart" Walmart. So you must have some plan to give you an unfair advantage - the boys out west know their program and will beat you every time at their game.
Great points, Larry. Never thought I'd ever be able to say that I agreed with you about anything. Have to on this one, though.
 
It seems to be like that. Western guys hav been doing it for a while, and know each inch of the way. Apparently everybody here work with the dairy brans. However, i been looking for my cattle providers (Black or Red angus, zebu) and it seen to be a little bit cheaper than western cattle. That migth work in our favor.

The other faact is that in the dairy farms (1000 calfs a year each -50% boys) they even kill the calfs when they discover they are boys. (i saw that on two dairy farms) They say that they dont want to spend hay on them (not milk)

i know they are not meat, but if you can get them for $30-$50 is there any money? ( a guy charge $150 to get them thru 90 days, vacs, dehorns and castates for that fee)
 
You might want to contact reputable cattleman in your area and the IFAS (University of Florida). It is not a lack of cattle in the southeast that has kept feedlots from remaining open. It is the climate. The old farmers rule about cattle grow best when the temperature plus the humidity is less than 150 degrees. How much of the year is it like that around here (North Florida).
There was a feedlot in Atmore, AL but he went out of business. Seemed like a good facility, you might want to check into that. The closest packing house was in Montgomery, AL (CLOSED). Good luck but I would suggest you do something else with your money. You are too far away from a cheap food source and the packing houses, too much freight to pay when diesel is approaching $3.00 a gallon.
 
Florida is cattle country. The Church owns the biggest ranch in the US and it is in Florida close to 40,000 pairs, but they ship their cattle to be fed in Oklahoma last i heard but could be anywhere in the midwest now but they truck them all out of there. Not to join the rest of the pessimists but i would look into running a stocker outfit where your location is an advantage instead of a liability.
 

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